Fencing at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's épée
# Fencing at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's épée

The men's épée was one of ten fencing events on the fencing at the 1996 Summer Olympics programme. It was the twenty-second appearance of the event. The competition was held on 20 July 1996. 45 fencers from 21 nations competed, a sharply reduced number from prior Games which generally had 60 to 80 fencers. Each nation remained limited to 3 fencers in the event. The event was won by Aleksandr Beketov of Russia, the nation's first victory and first medal in the event in its debut (though it was the third straight Games with a Russian on the podium, with Andrey Shuvalov taking bronze for the Soviet Union in 1988 and Pavel Kolobkov earning silver representing the Unified Team in 1992). Iván Trevejo's silver was Cuba's first medal in the event since Ramón Fonst won the first two gold medals in 1900 and 1904. The bronze went to Géza Imre of Hungary, that nation's first medal in the men's individual épée since 1980. France's four-Games podium streak ended.

## Background

This was the 22nd appearance of the event, which was not held at the first Games in 1896 (with only foil and sabre events held) but has been held at every Summer Olympics since 1900.

All eight quarterfinalists from 1992 returned: gold medalist Éric Srecki of France, silver medalist Pavel Kolobkov of the Unified Team (now representing Russia), bronze medalist Jean-Michel Henry of France, fourth-place finisher Kaido Kaaberma of Estonia, and quarterfinalists Elmar Borrmann of Germany, Iván Kovács of Hungary, Angelo Mazzoni of Italy, and Mauricio Rivas of Colombia. Kolobkov had won the World Championship in 1993 and 1994; Srecki was the reigning World Champion having won in 1995.

Belarus, the Czech Republic, and Russia each made their debut in the event. France, Sweden, and the United States each appeared for the 20th time, tied for most among nations.

## Competition format

The 1996 tournament eliminated pool play, a staple of Olympic fencing since 1896. The double-elimination rounds that had been used for the past few Games were also eliminated. For the first time, the format consisted entirely of a single-elimination bracket with a bronze medal match. The 15-touch bout was introduced for the first time, with all bouts being to 15 touches. The number of fencers was also reduced.

## Schedule

All times are Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4)

| Date | Time | Round |
| - | - | - |
| Saturday, 20 July 1996 | | Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Bronze medal match Final |

## Results

### Section 1

| Round of 64 | Round of 64 | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | Sandro Cuomo (ITA) | Sandro Cuomo (ITA) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Valery Zakharevich (RUS) | Valery Zakharevich (RUS) | 15 | Valery Zakharevich (RUS) | Valery Zakharevich (RUS) | 14 | | | | | | |
| Fernando de la Peña (ESP) | Fernando de la Peña (ESP) | 8 | | | | Sandro Cuomo (ITA) | Sandro Cuomo (ITA) | 15 | | | |
| | | | | | | Andrus Kajak (EST) | Andrus Kajak (EST) | 14 | | | |
| | | | Andrus Kajak (EST) | Andrus Kajak (EST) | 15 | | | | | | |
| | | | Krisztián Kulcsár (HUN) | Krisztián Kulcsár (HUN) | 14 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Sandro Cuomo (ITA) | Sandro Cuomo (ITA) | 14 |
| | | | | | | | | | Géza Imre (HUN) | Géza Imre (HUN) | 15 |
| | | | Maurizio Randazzo (ITA) | Maurizio Randazzo (ITA) | 14 | | | | | | |
| Elmar Borrmann (GER) | Elmar Borrmann (GER) | 15 | Elmar Borrmann (GER) | Elmar Borrmann (GER) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | Lee Sang-Gi (KOR) | 14 | | | | Elmar Borrmann (GER) | Elmar Borrmann (GER) | 14 | | | |
| Géza Imre (HUN) | Géza Imre (HUN) | 15 | | | | Géza Imre (HUN) | Géza Imre (HUN) | 15 | | | |
| Paris Inostroza (CHI) | Paris Inostroza (CHI) | 12 | Géza Imre (HUN) | Géza Imre (HUN) | 15 | | | | | | |
| | | | Péter Vánky (SWE) | Péter Vánky (SWE) | 14 | | | | | | |

### Section 2

| Round of 64 | Round of 64 | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | Robert Leroux (FRA) | Robert Leroux (FRA) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Tamir Bloom (USA) | Tamir Bloom (USA) | 15 | Tamir Bloom (USA) | Tamir Bloom (USA) | 9 | | | | | | |
| Olivier Jacquet (SUI) | Olivier Jacquet (SUI) | 13 | | | | Robert Leroux (FRA) | Robert Leroux (FRA) | 14 | | | |
| Zhao Gang (CHN) | Zhao Gang (CHN) | 15 | | | | Kaido Kaaberma (EST) | Kaido Kaaberma (EST) | 15 | | | |
| Iliya Mechkov (BUL) | Iliya Mechkov (BUL) | 12 | Zhao Gang (CHN) | Zhao Gang (CHN) | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | Kaido Kaaberma (EST) | Kaido Kaaberma (EST) | 15 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Kaido Kaaberma (EST) | Kaido Kaaberma (EST) | 14 |
| | | | | | | | | | Iván Trevejo (CUB) | Iván Trevejo (CUB) | 15 |
| | | | Danek Nowosielski (CAN) | Danek Nowosielski (CAN) | 14 | | | | | | |
| Iván Trevejo (CUB) | Iván Trevejo (CUB) | 15 | Iván Trevejo (CUB) | Iván Trevejo (CUB) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Aurel Bratu (ROU) | Aurel Bratu (ROU) | 10 | | | | Iván Trevejo (CUB) | Iván Trevejo (CUB) | 15 | | | |
| Jang Tae-Seok (KOR) | Jang Tae-Seok (KOR) | 15 | | | | Arnd Schmitt (GER) | Arnd Schmitt (GER) | 8 | | | |
| Roman Jecmínek (CZE) | Roman Jecmínek (CZE) | 13 | Jang Tae-Seok (KOR) | Jang Tae-Seok (KOR) | 13 | | | | | | |
| | | | Arnd Schmitt (GER) | Arnd Schmitt (GER) | 15 | | | | | | |

### Section 3

| Round of 64 | Round of 64 | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | Iván Kovács (HUN) | Iván Kovács (HUN) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Michael Marx (USA) | Michael Marx (USA) | 15 | Michael Marx (USA) | Michael Marx (USA) | 6 | | | | | | |
| James Ransom (CAN) | James Ransom (CAN) | 9 | | | | Iván Kovács (HUN) | Iván Kovács (HUN) | 15 | | | |
| | | | | | | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | 11 | | | |
| | | | Yang Noe-Seong (KOR) | Yang Noe-Seong (KOR) | 14 | | | | | | |
| | | | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | Pavel Kolobkov (RUS) | 15 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Iván Kovács (HUN) | Iván Kovács (HUN) | 15 |
| | | | | | | | | | Marius Strzalka (GER) | Marius Strzalka (GER) | 13 |
| | | | Jean-Marc Chouinard (CAN) | Jean-Marc Chouinard (CAN) | 12 | | | | | | |
| Marius Strzalka (GER) | Marius Strzalka (GER) | 15 | Marius Strzalka (GER) | Marius Strzalka (GER) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Gabriel Pantelimon (ROU) | Gabriel Pantelimon (ROU) | 12 | | | | Marius Strzalka (GER) | Marius Strzalka (GER) | 15 | | | |
| Vitaly Zakharov (BLR) | Vitaly Zakharov (BLR) | 15 | | | | Angelo Mazzoni (ITA) | Angelo Mazzoni (ITA) | 13 | | | |
| Nuno Frazão (POR) | Nuno Frazão (POR) | 11 | Vitaly Zakharov (BLR) | Vitaly Zakharov (BLR) | 11 | | | | | | |
| | | | Angelo Mazzoni (ITA) | Angelo Mazzoni (ITA) | 15 | | | | | | |

### Section 4

| Round of 64 | Round of 64 | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | | | Jean-Michel Henry (FRA) | Jean-Michel Henry (FRA) | 15 | | | | | | |
| Gheorghe Epurescu (ROU) | Gheorghe Epurescu (ROU) | 15 | Gheorghe Epurescu (ROU) | Gheorghe Epurescu (ROU) | 9 | | | | | | |
| Oscar Fernández (ESP) | Oscar Fernández (ESP) | 10 | | | | Jean-Michel Henry (FRA) | Jean-Michel Henry (FRA) | 15 | | | |
| Jim Carpenter (USA) | Jim Carpenter (USA) | 15 | | | | Mauricio Rivas (COL) | Mauricio Rivas (COL) | 11 | | | |
| Juan Miguel Paz (COL) | Juan Miguel Paz (COL) | 11 | Jim Carpenter (USA) | Jim Carpenter (USA) | 9 | | | | | | |
| | | | Mauricio Rivas (COL) | Mauricio Rivas (COL) | 15 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Jean-Michel Henry (FRA) | Jean-Michel Henry (FRA) | 13 |
| | | | | | | | | | Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | 15 |
| | | | Nic Bürgin (SUI) | Nic Bürgin (SUI) | 12 | | | | | | |
| | | | Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | 15 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | 15 | | | |
| Cesar González (ESP) | Cesar González (ESP) | 15 | | | | Éric Srecki (FRA) | Éric Srecki (FRA) | 10 | | | |
| Meelis Loit (EST) | Meelis Loit (EST) | 14 | Cesar González (ESP) | Cesar González (ESP) | 11 | | | | | | |
| | | | Éric Srecki (FRA) | Éric Srecki (FRA) | 15 | | | | | | |

### Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - |
| Géza Imre (HUN) | 10 |
| Iván Trevejo (CUB) | 15 | | |
| Iván Trevejo (CUB) | 15 | Iván Trevejo (CUB) | 14 |
| | | Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | 15 |
| Iván Kovács (HUN) | 8 | Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | 15 |
| Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | 15 | | |
| Aleksandr Beketov (RUS) | 15 | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| | | Géza Imre (HUN) | 15 |
| | | Iván Kovács (HUN) | 9 |

## Results summary

| Rank | Fencer | Nation |
| - | - | - |
| | Aleksandr Beketov | Russia |
| | Iván Trevejo | Cuba |
| | Géza Imre | Hungary |
| 4 | Iván Kovács | Hungary |
| 5 | Sandro Cuomo | Italy |
| 6 | Jean-Michel Henry | France |
| 7 | Kaido Kaaberma | Estonia |
| 8 | Marius Strzalka | Germany |
| 9 | Éric Srecki | France |
| 10 | Arnd Schmitt | Germany |
| 11 | Angelo Mazzoni | Italy |
| 12 | Robert Leroux | France |
| 13 | Mauricio Rivas | Colombia |
| 14 | Pavel Kolobkov | Russia |
| 15 | Andrus Kajak | Estonia |
| 16 | Elmar Borrmann | Germany |
| 17 | Péter Vánky | Sweden |
| 18 | Maurizio Randazzo | Italy |
| 19 | Jean-Marc Chouinard | Canada |
| 20 | Danek Nowosielski | Canada |
| 21 | Nic Bürgin | Switzerland |
| 22 | Krisztián Kulcsár | Hungary |
| 23 | Yang Noe-Seong | South Korea |
| 24 | Zhao Gang | China |
| 25 | Jim Carpenter | United States |
| 26 | Vitaly Zakharov | Belarus |
| 27 | Jang Tae-Seok | South Korea |
| 28 | Mike Marx | United States |
| 29 | César González | Spain |
| 30 | Valery Zakharevich | Russia |
| 31 | Tamir Bloom | United States |
| 32 | Gheorghe Epurescu | Romania |
| 33 | Oscar Fernández | Spain |
| 34 | Olivier Jacquet | Switzerland |
| 35 | Meelis Loit | Estonia |
| 36 | Fernando de la Peña | Spain |
| 37 | Roman Ječmínek | Czech Republic |
| 38 | James Ransom | Canada |
| 39 | Nuno Frazão | Portugal |
| 40 | Paris Inostroza | Chile |
| 41 | Juan Miguel Paz | Colombia |
| 42 | Lee Sang-Gi | South Korea |
| 43 | Gabriel Pantelimon | Romania |
| 44 | Iliya Mechkov | Bulgaria |
| 45 | Aurel Bratu | Romania |
